RFS feel-good update (1/16): Our 2024 strategic plan

Here's how we're going to win this year

Hi all -

Hope you had a nice weekend and are staying warm. (Here in Brooklyn, it’s just so cold.)

Last night Trump won the Iowa caucuses and is well on his way to officially be the Republican nominee. Maybe this is the first time it’s really hitting you — 2024 is going to be Biden vs Trump, round two — or maybe you’ve been gearing up for this for months. Either way…

Let’s get right to it: 2024 is here and so is our strategic plan to win big.

Our 2024 strategy, in a nutshell: We’re continuing our broad and deep work with young diverse progressives running for state and local office — especially for school boards, local election administrator roles and positions that may affect abortion access — because it’s never mattered more.

Short-term, it will be critical for the survival of our democracy to have incredible local candidates knocking doors, talking to voters, and generating excitement (also known as “reverse coattails”) during an election that may otherwise feel like a bit of a downer.

Long-term, we’re continuing to build the recruitment and support infrastructure that will enable sustainable power at every level, and stop extremists from taking over schools, cities, and state capitols.

Take a look through the plan: We talk about our big successes from 2023, where we fell short (#accountability), programs we’re continuing into this year, and more broadly, why it all matters now.

When we lay it all out there, it seems like we’re doing a lot — the truth is, the work itself hasn’t changed. What we’ve learned over the last seven years (!!) is the impact is exponential. This is the nuts-and-bolts of political power that unlock so much beyond their singular stories.

And no matter what happens with the presidency, our work does not change in importance.

If Trump wins, our folks will be on the front lines of defense against his administration’s likely dangerous and democracy-destroying actions. Having strong leaders in blue states who can stand up to him and strong leaders in red states who can mitigate harm and push back where possible will be not just necessary — they’ll be life-saving.

And if (when!) Biden wins re-election, our folks will be pushing forward to implement big parts of the legislation passed (see: the Inflation Reduction Act, which sent billions of dollars in climate money to be spent by state and local governments 👀) and they’ll be playing a massive existential game of whack-a-mole against the MAGA Republicans trying to stake a claim to power on the local level.

These local offices are the levels of government we need to win at (in addition to the federal offices.) These are the positions that directly affect people’s lives. These are the offices that too many ignore, especially when the presidency takes all the headlines, and these are the leaders that we’re grateful for when the shit gets real.

No matter the outcome in 2024, Run for Something isn’t going anywhere. We need you with us now and into 2025 and beyond.

Read the plan. Let me know what you think! (Be nice!)

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In other RFS community updates:

• The St. Paul City Council was officially sworn in — all women, all under 40, majority women of color and majority Run for Something alum. It’s Barbieland in St. Paul and I LOVE IT.

• Long Beach CA Mayor Rex Richardson is ready to tackle homelessness, crime, and sustainable development in his second year on the job.

• Brandon Simmons officially took his seat as a Columbus City Schools Board Member — as a recent CCS grad, he personally knows the impact this board’s decisions will have on students and families.

• JB Smiley Jr. is taking on role of chair of the Memphis City Council, and is ready to bring some urgency to the role. He says: “We have to find a way to have them operate in a constant state of urgency. What you see…in the city of Memphis for people who live here…it’s urgent. The trash not being picked up in a timely manner is an urgent concern for them. Crime running rampant…that’s an urgent concern for people. We have to do more.”

• HI Rep. Adrian Tam was named interim chair of the Democratic Party of Hawai’i, bringing in some enthusiasm and fresh energy.

• PA Rep. Izzy Smith-Wade-El reflects on his first year in office, how he carried his mother’s legacy into service with him, and how he’s kept his promises to his community.

• If you need a little pep in your step today, watch U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett absolutely ruin the GOP at a hearing last week.

• VA Del. Adele McClure’s first bill focuses on eliminating exemptions for the minimum wage for people employed as farm laborers and certain temporary foreign workers.

• Also in VA: Del. Nadarius Clark is introducing legislation to require the state to pay public school teachers at or above the national average — right now, VA teachers make more than $5000 below.

• Chicago Ald. Matt Martin is leading up a working group considering small-donor matching for city council races, which would diminish the power of big money in local politics.

• LA City Councilmember Nithya Raman is pushing forward efforts to guarantee legal counsel to tenants who face eviction.

• AZ Rep. Analise Ortiz is helping lead on expanding access to affordable housing, strengthening the rights of renters, preventing evictions, and more.

As we keep an eye on the bench we’re building:

• In Evansville, IN, city councilman Alex Burton has announced he’s running for state house district 77 — moving on up!

• Middletown Township Supervisor Anna Payne has announced she’s running for PA state legislature in a district currently held by a Republican who won by a tiny margin. Anna’s story is so moving — she has cystic fibrosis and was not expected to live past her teenage years. She overcame the odds but again faced health challenges when, at 34, she was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer and went through treatment — she’s been advocating for patients and her community since. She’s worked hard to focus on community service and initiatives and even received a commendation from the governor for her work — she’s exactly the kind of person we need more of in elected office.

A reminder from new Montgomery County (PA) Commissioner Neil Makhija on why Clerk Work matters: “In a post-election poll by democracyFIRST, 45 percent of voters identified “keeping extremists out of offices that control the board of elections” as the “top issue” in deciding who to vote for in the county commission or county council races.”

I LOVED this story about how Justin Douglas moved from outsider to insider in Dauphin County, PA, taking on election administration with an eye toward democracy.

And of course, a note on book bans, which as BookRiot explains, will not stop at schools — they’re coming for libraries already at various levels of government, and won’t stop until their vocal minority determines what is possible for the vast majority of our kids. The round up at the bottom of this story will alarm you: Book bans are happening in districts in red, blue, and purple states — there is no where off limits. That’s why we need to be in the fight everywhere.

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You make this all possible. Thanks for being on this team.

- Amanda